


Paperwork Hell

by MizuLeKitten



Series: Nothing Ever Goes Wrong AU [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Nothing Ever Went Bad, Fluff, Galra Empire, Galra Keith (Voltron), Loving Marriage, M/M, Mentioned Pregnancy, Multi, Or What Constitutes As Fluff To Them, Stress, overworked keith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 09:37:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14234457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizuLeKitten/pseuds/MizuLeKitten
Summary: Keithal's never liked paperwork, but when his friends are about to take time away for parental leave there aren't many other options left. Stress is high, and though Shiro tries to give him an out, nothing can compare to Zarkon taking time out of his own day to visit Keithal. Ending the day with both his partners is another plus.





	Paperwork Hell

Keithal sighed and fought the urge to hit his head against the table. He was tired of sitting in place all day, tied to his desk like he was married to it (not even his actual partners demanded this much time from him). Normally, he was tasked with the more physically demanding aspects of the Blade, his team knowing that he prefered it. The never ending reports and logs weren’t something he often interacted with outside of necessity. Otherwise he left it to his secretary, who somehow enjoyed the paperwork. His secretary wasn’t an option right now.

There were a lot of things that he wanted to blame for this moment, the red tape halting his every move, the never ending numbers that didn’t add up the way they needed to, and the constant changes to plans that had been perfectly fine not even a varga earlier. Namely, he blamed Kolivan and Antok. He was happy for his long term friends, but Kolivan's pregnancy and eventual parental leave (that Antok, Thace, Ulaz, and Keithal were forcing him into for his own safety) were throwing a wrench in a lot of their plans.

Around this time, he was generally overseeing the training of new recruits, but in preparation for Kolivan's leave he had taken on part of his friend's workload, a lot of which his secretary didn’t have the clearance to look at. Stars abound knew that Antok would be more or less useless the moment Kolivan's pregnancy went into it's late stages, and so he would have to find someone to replace, or at least pick up the slack of Kolivan _and_ Antok until they were both ready to return to work.

He couldn't and didn't blame them, though. He had a kid of his own, a babbling one and a half year old that he loved and adored named Raik, with another on the way; he knew the nerves and struggle accompanying that. It didn't make sifting through all the reports any less agonizing, especially when he could be doing something more immediately beneficial, or even spending time with his own family.

He tapped away at his holo-pad, inputting more data into a spreadsheet which he'd eventually send to Thace, who would then, in turn, send it out to their operatives.The data in question was as depressing as it came, and only added to his growing annoyance towards the workload.

Pirate attacks were on the rise, and it fueled the fire inside Keithal's soul. It wasn't Kolivan's or Antok's fault that pirates were attacking the colonies again. It wasn't their fault that they had no clue as to where the pirates’ base of operations were. If anything, he should've been focusing on the pirates far more than he had been, but he had been preoccupied with a new wave of recruits.

With parental leave up and coming, the pirates were being shoved to the forefront of his priorities.

He wasn't sure they could handle this on their own. The Blade's specialization was in information gathering and relief efforts towards devastated areas - whether that devastation came from natural or unnatural causes. Each of their members were equipped to handle themselves, to treat their bodies as a weapon, and their minds as the ultimate battleground, but they were by no means a military fleet.

He hadn't had that in mind when he and Kolivan had begun discussing building this new branch of the Galra Empire. After all, the Empire already had an impressive military fleet, one he had served in as a high ranking commander, and not to mention they had the Alliance, which had eventually resulted in Voltron (they hadn't known about Voltron at the time, but it helped pick up the slack). No, they did not need more military power. Instead, he and Kolivan saw a lapse in information, and had decided to solve the problem themselves. That was not boding so well for them now. Their job was information, and they didn't even have that.

It was stressful in many ways, but at least it wasn’t what his original job would’ve been. Forming the Blade had been a blessing in disguise for him; the perfect way to remove himself from the many aspects of Empire aristocratic life. He was no good at the social functions normally demanded of someone of his raised status, so he had created this perfect place for him. Now, he was even failing at that. This time his failure didn't mean a pissed off noble, but instead meant the death of countless, innocent lives.

His holo-pad beeped twice, cutting off his spiralling train of thought, as a message popped up at the top of his screen.

 

 **Takashi Shirogane-Holt:** my ship is docking around mid-quintent

 **Takashi Shirogane-Holt:** should be in time for doubles matches at the arena

 

Keithal smiled at that. It'd be a good way to unwind. Not to mention, he and Shiro hadn't been able to team up in the arena for a while, let alone hang out in general. It'd be a good way to do both, as well as remind the Arena who their favored Champion and Vanquisher were.

That meant he needed to rest. Which meant no more reports. Which then meant falling behind. He was barely keeping up with all the work as he was now, sacrificing time away from his duties would be idiotic. Then again, sleep was also important for a variety of other reasons, and getting sleep now, even if he didn't go to the Arena with Shiro later, would still benefit him long term. It'd allow him to look over his reports in a new, fresher light.

At the same time, did he really need that much sleep to be able to do that? He was doing perfectly fine currently.

 

 **Takashi Shirogane-Holt:** Katie says that I'm not allowed back home unless I "kick ass"

 **Takashi Shirogane-Holt:** so you have to help me

 

That was a lie and they both knew it. Shiro was the best competitor that the Empire's Arena had ever seen: He was undefeated, which had earned him the title of Champion. Even after he lost his arm when his ship had fallen under attack, it hadn't stopped him from eventually coming back to the Arena. While Keithal would certainly help (he wasn't called Vanquisher for nothing), he wasn't necessary.

 

 **Keithal Daibazaal:** if i have time

 **Takashi Shirogane-Holt:** you owe me dinner either way

 

He sent a thumbs up in reply. It had felt like decapheebs since they'd last talked in person, but it actually had, at most, only been a few human months. They were both busy people, and neither of them could drop everything for the other. Shiro's accomplishment of being the first human contact (minus Keithal’s father) with the Galra Empire had pushed him into a job of advisor between the two races, and it was as demanding as his own multiple positions.

Galra and Humans differed in so many ways that it was near impossible for them all to keep up. It made his own conception all the more confusing in his own eyes. He had assumed that any connection to his father's less advanced civilization had died with him, and so his own views of what Humans could or couldn't be had been formed through his short time with the man.

Who knew that he would find Shiro stranded on Kerberos, a moon within Earth's star system, when the vehicle he and his crew had been using malfunctioned. Thanks to that, Keithal had access to all of planet Earth's resources, as well as his friendship with both Shiro and Katie to draw upon.

The problem was, Katie liked to manipulate the information she gave, and Shiro hardly stopped her. The Dabbing Incident being only one such case.

The door to his office swished open, making the pattern of interrupted thoughts concrete. His hand was on his blade before he even registered the noise. The knife, unawakened, was a familiar weight in his hand, and he aimed it towards the door with easy finesse honed over the years. His other hand had already drawn the second blade on his belt.

By all accounts, he was the safest he could be within the very center of the Galra Empire. There were plenty of security systems in place, from technology to physical locks. Not to mention the guard detail. Then again, habit was hard to break. This habit of alertness just so happened to have saved him many times in the past, and he had no intention of growing out of it.

"Is that anyway to greet your emperor?" Zarkon hadn’t flinched at the blade now embedded in the door behind him. He had expected the projectile, and had easily moved to the side. He may be big, but he was still fast.

Zarkon easily plucked the knife from the wall, turning it over in his gloved hands as he walked forward. He was still in his armour, as large and imposing as ever. While Keithal enjoyed the way it looked on Zarkon, he didn’t see much of the appeal for his own line of work. It had been a moment of contention between the two, but it barely lasted long. (Zarkon later admitted, while under the influence of their favorite Galra brew, that he liked the way the sleek outfit optimized Keithal's assets.)

Keithal twirled his second knife within his grasp before sheathing it. "Heard of knocking?" he teased in reply before going back in his seat.

Zarkon grunted in response (another win for him), "General Embassador Shirogane should be arriving tomorrow."

"You know, you can call him Shiro," despite his statement, warmth bloomed within his chest. Zarkon wasn't necessarily close with Shiro, and vice versa, but whenever Shiro's ship was visiting Daibazaal, Zarkon always went out of his way to inform him - even though Shiro could easily message him himself.

"I am aware.” Zarkon had no intention of doing so, and they both knew it. “Will you two be competing in the Arena?"

Keithal looked to his desk, at the physical papers strewn everywhere and the numerous documents saved on his holo-pad. He crossed his arms over his chest, "I- We-" he struggled to find the right words for his thoughts until he finally settled on: "I have work to do.”

Zarkon moved closer, his chest pressing against the back of Keithal’s chair. He reached around Keithal and placed the knife atop a cluster of documents. "Is this due to Kolivan's eventual leave of absence?"

He nodded a yes. There was no point in trying to deny it.

"Commander Sendak is a viable option to fill in for Kolivan while he is absent."

To anyone else it would've been a demand, but to Keithal it was merely a suggestion. His face scrunched up... He knew Sendak well enough, had sat with him through meetings and worked alongside him before the Galra had found peace with Blaytz and Lance's people. He was Zarkon's most trusted right hand man within the inner court. He wasn't the most compassionate of all Galra, but he'd get the job done.

"That would work."

"Good. I will inform him tomorrow. Now you are free to spend time with Shirogane."

He couldn't help but laugh. "Missed watching me fight that much?"

"You clearly wish to compete. You deserve it," Zarkon's logical honesty always made Keithal smile. It was something he never expected to see in a person of such power, but here Zarkon was, using it against him and making him blush. He had people that cared about him, but somehow it managed to catch him off guard every single time.

He instead chose to deflect, something they both knew he would do. "And it has nothing to do with the fact that you think I look good in the Arena tights?"

Zarkon did not dignify him with a response. As much as Zarkon's words were true, he couldn't deny the fact that he had a _vested_ interest in whether Keithal donned himself in the Arena attire for another fight.

"Since we're all taking breaks," Keithal leaned back in his seat and stretched. He didn't bother to hide his smile from Zarkon as he tilted his head back, "should we invite Honerva?"

To anyone else it wouldn't be obvious, but he saw the way Zarkon's eyes seemed to brighten at the option. The three of them hadn't been able to spend much time together outside of sleeping. Another pattern had formed without him realizing, one of absence.

He hated absence.

"I would not be opposed," Zarkon’s lips twitched up into a faint smile. Keithal had taken a lot of time to learn each of Zarkon’s different tells, and being able to recognize them always left him with a sense of pride.

"Is she done for the day?" Despite her pregnancy she was still taking avid part in the research of quintessence. While she wasn't being exposed to it (the fear of repercussions that it may cause had allowed them to convince her to remove herself physically), that didn't stop her from monitoring the actions of her Druids or reviewing her research during all aspects of the day. He hadn't been the only one to remove themselves from the demands of royalty.

"The last I knew, she was reading in bed. Which is where we should be." Zarkon took a step back, and held a hand out to Keithal, "I would like to avoid a repeat of last time."

He tried not to shiver at the thought. Honerva wasn't the best when it came to self care, but throughout her second pregnancy she had gotten much more picky about it. (The title of best self care went, surprisingly, to Zarkon. It had thrown Kolivan for a loop the first time, back in their courting days, when Zarkon, their _emperor_ , had poked and prodded until Keithal agreed to eat and sleep.) Due to her pickiness, she wanted at least one of them in bed with her to use as a heat pack, her own words, or else she refused to sleep. He and Zarkon had taken it as hormonal demands due to the pregnancy, neither of them expected her to follow through.

But she had.

A sleep deprived alchemist with high level access to all of the Empire's assets was not something they wished to see come to fruition. Their concern for her health and that of their unborn child, Lotor, had done a great bit to influence the decision as well. It worked out well in the end, it allowed them to spend at least a few conscious ticks awake together.

Keithal stood, smiling at Zarkon as he took the other's hand. "Better not keep her waiting then."

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, hopefully that wasn't too confusing without any other background knowledge of the au...  
> Plan on writing more for this hopefully... maybe
> 
> MizuLeKitten on tumblr too, if you're at all interested.


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